greetings.

So, as you may (or not) know, people here greet each other with a kiss (or two) on the cheek; often, same goes for goodbyes. Especially for people living in the U.S. (and perhaps even more especially for Asians, known as a whole for having a reserved and timid nature), this may seem a bit odd or too intimate. However, I kind of like it. Like Maija and I were saying to each other, it's just nice to acknowledge everyone and have them acknowledge you when you enter and leave a place (or also when you meet people...ie when friends of my siblings visited the first weekend I was here). With a culture that doesn't emphasize this acknowledgement, it's so easy to just slip in and out unnoticed. I don't necessarily think we should start kissing each other back home, but just keeping in mind the importance of saying hi and bye might help...whether we are at a party, home, church, fellowship, or wherever. Or maybe it's just me. :P